The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bengal considering package

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Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007
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New Delhi

Bengal considering package

Special Correspondent

Kolkata: In the backdrop of the persistent agitation over acquisition of land for industry, the West Bengal government has begun working on a policy for compensating marginal group of land losers, to assure them a basic livelihood after they have given up their agricultural land for industry, Industry Minister Nirupam Sen said.

The minister was addressing the press after a day-long interactive session on major policy issues regarding industrialisation in West Bengal.

The initiative was the first of its kind and was seen as an effort by the government to evolve a consensus on the process of industrialisation and on the issue of rehabilitation of project-affected-persons (PAP).

On the proposed new package, Mr Sen said that this would cover the marginal farmers who were solely dependent on agriculture as a livelihood and where no other family member was engaged in any other economic activity.

“Since every industrial project, on completion, spawns commercial activity in its hinterland, we propose to earmark some land and set up small shops which can be run by the marginal farmer. This would be in addition to the compensation that he receives.” He also hinted that the government also favoured paying a compensation price that was in tune with the price that the land would get a few years later.

He however admitted that it was not easy to find a formula for this.

It may be mentioned that while the State government has made efforts to evolve a consensus on its industrialisation drive earlier drawing close the chambers of commerce at times and the political parties at other times, this was the first such initiative where the entire spectrum, from industry captains to political parties, the academia, economists, sociologists and the media were invited to share a forum to discuss the issues and throw up suggestions.

West Bengal’s industrialisation rejuvenation has thrown up issues which have engaged the attention of the State government and the general public, industry secretary Sabysachi Sen said, adding that among these are issues of the location of the industry and the terms of compensation and rehabilitation for project affected people (PAP).

While the Congress was the only opposition to attend the meet, academics from the IIT, ISI, IIM, as well as economists and sociologists and members of the Agricultural Commission attended the session which continued for nearly six hours.

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